Jackie Collins: Terminated

Arnold Schwarzenegger's behavior is straight out of one of the author's novels. Here, Jackie Collins writes the end to the chapter on cheating men. And be sure to also check out the exclusive Q&A with Collins, where she shares her perspective on how to get over a cheater.

To terminate or not to terminate? That is the question all women have to ask themselves when they discover their man has been cheating. Oh dear, that old zipper problem never fails to surface. From presidents to movie stars to politicians to men on the street, certain males seem to think with only their penis, leaving their brain to fend for itself! Some men think that because they have a certain amount of fame and power, they can get away with anything, and a lot of them try to.

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In my novels, I write about men a lot: good men, bad men, gay men, straight men, and — of course — serial cheaters. But it all happens in real life. There is John Edwards, a man who denied the child he had with his mistress was his until he was forced to admit it. David Letterman, who availed himself of the services of several attractive young staffers until full-on blackmail reared its ugly head. Jesse James — if it's tattooed, he'll jump it. Tiger Woods, a man of many mistresses. And the biggest of the boys gone bad, former "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. And let us not forget Congressman Anthony Weiner and his penchant for sending perverted tweets and lewd photos.

Arnold is a case unto himself. Cheating is one thing, but doing it in the home you share with your wife and children, and with your housekeeper of 20 years, who gives birth to your child within days of your wife giving birth to your son, well?... that's downright despicable.

But despicable behavior is all too common, especially in Tinseltown. One very married Hollywood icon thinks he's solved the problem of Arnold's situation happening. He spends a fortune on high-class call girls who visit him on location. And that's not such a Hollywood secret! Which brings me to the strip-club seducers: guys who start by visiting a strip club and end up stripping the stripper.

What a bunch of losers! Don't they get it? Don't they understand that staying faithful is smart and sexy? Don't they get that straying when you're a married man is exhibiting a distinct lack of character and a very shaky libido?

More and more women are not going to take it. Being the good wife and standing by a skirt-chasing husband is too much of a cliché. The wronged wife has had enough. Terminate the jerk who goes around saying to all his pals, "Time to get my helmet polished." Trust me, I could not make that phrase up. It was uttered all over town by a certain well-known movie star.

Sadly, the double standard is still alive and well in our society. What's good for the male is not so good for the female — or is it? Whether she decides to stay or leave, a wife can always take comfort in knowing where her husband is really going to feel it: his bank account. And a lot do. Woods's ex, Elin Nordegren, is a fine example of "Hit him where it really hurts!"

But I digress. These lecherous lotharios, especially the famous ones, have to stop and think about what they are doing to their families. Man up, and keep it in your pants. Have some respect for yourself and the people who love you.